There are three, and only three, ways to gain Growth Points. If you're a beginning player you will have only the GP you have been awarded for your application. This is called BASE GP, and it is subject to change based on Milestones, which specifically increase your Base GP. For example: If you are approved with 1,000 GP and, in two weeks, apply for a 500 GP boost to your Base GP, but only get 300 GP, your new Base GP is 1,300.

Secondly, one may gain GP from posting in threads. This is the most common and most reliable way to gain Growth Points. For every 50 words you post (rounded DOWN), you gain one GP. You won't actually be able to do anything with the GP until you claim it, covered below. Thread-gained Growth Points will always increase, quickly or slowly depending on your activity. For more in-depth information about thread GP (and threads in general), see our Thread Information.

Thirdly, and most rarely, characters may be awarded GP for various site activities, such as contests, plots and missions. One might win a Character of the Month contest, for instance, and be awarded something to the tune of 100GP, or gain additional GP from completing a particularly difficult mission. Awarded GP will stay with a character, unchanged unless revoked. All of this GP gained through writing, contests, missions, Legendary Challenges, plots, and events is called EARNED GP. This is added to your Base GP. So if you get 200 GP through writing, 100 GP through an OTM, and your Base GP is 1,300 you will have 1,600 GP. This is called your TOTAL GP.

How do I use GP?

It depends on whether you just got approved or whether you're a longer-time player. For the former, skip the spoilered section below.

Claiming Thread GP:

Well, if you've been given Base GP or awarded GP by the staff, all you have to do is put it through the GP Spending process, covered below. However, if you gain GP from posting, you must claim it before being able to use it. To do so, just follow the template below, replacing the uppercase areas and duplicating/removing parts as necessary:

Code:

[b]Name(s) of thread(s) and link(s):[/b] [url=LINK TO THREAD GOES HERE]NAME OF THREAD GOES HERE[/url] (CLAIMING TO POST #, TOTAL GP)[b]Total GP with posts:[/b] GP EARNED + BANK = NEW TOTAL[b]Distribution of GP:[/b] NEW TOTAL - AMOUNT USED FOR SP - AMOUNT USED FOR OTHER = NEWER TOTAL[b]SP conversion:[/b] AMOUNT USED FOR SP / FIVE TO ONE HUNDRED = AMOUNT OF SP[list][*][b]Strength:[/b] OLD + NEW[*][b]Defense:[/b] OLD + NEW[*][b]Speed:[/b] OLD + NEW[*][b]Spirit:[/b] OLD + NEW [/list]

[b]Skills:[/b] (If you are distributing into your skills put GP value in here, if not put N/A. Only include skills below you have upgraded this GP Claim.)[list][*][b]YOUR SKILL:[/b] (NEW RANK OF SKILL) | (OLD GP COUNT + NEW = TOTAL)[/list]

You'll need to link to the thread(s) you wish to claim GP from, following the template. Normally, we prefer you wait until a thread's conclusion to claim from it, but we understand sometimes you just have to get that GP right away. In these situations, you should note the post number which you're claiming to, and reset your GP count from that post on. If you have awarded GP as well, feel free to add it in as long as you note it.

How do I spend it, then?

Well, it depends on where you want to invest your GP. There are four places GP can go: into upgrading skills, increasing your stats, buying additional techniques and merely banking it.

UPGRADING SKILLS

This is fairly simple. Skill ranks come in 7 levels: None (0 GP), Novice (20 GP), Acolyte (60 GP), Adept (200 GP), Trained (400 GP), Master (600 GP), Grandmaster (800 GP), and Ascended (1,200 GP). To buy a new skill rank, merely spend enough GP to have the total spent on that skill reach the appropriate number. For example, to level a skill up from Basic to Intermediate, a player would need to pay 140 GP (200-60=140), NOT 200 GP. For more information on skills, go here.

INCREASING STATS

This requires an intermediate step. You can add to your Strength, Defense, Agility, or Æther by converting GP into Reiatsu. For the first part of your roleplaying experience, all you need to know is that 5 GP converts into 1 Reiatsu, or that it's a 5:1 ratio. However, as a character gets more powerful he will encounter a more challenging ratio, so as to ensure quality and effort from higher-level players. The ratio goes as thus:Note that you may not directly increase your Reiatsu or Stamina. Reiatsu is, and always will be, equal to the sum of all four base stats (Strength, Defense, Speed, Spirit). Stamina is, and will always be, equal to half of your Reiatsu rounded up. These measurements will change according to your stats, but you may never spend GP to increase only them.

BUYING TECHNIQUES

This is very simple. Your first five are, of course, free, but some players may desire more. The subsequent technique slots are not free; however, and in fact cost GP in an increasing amount, as above.

BANKING

This is obvious. Every GP or SP you don't want to use immediately goes in your Bank, to be retrieved at a later date.

ACTUALLY ASSIGNING GP/SP - Just note the thread(s) you've gained GP from, the total GP you have now, and where you wish to spend it! It is very, very important to follow the template. Otherwise you're just making our staff do extra work, and getting these people irritated is a very, very bad plan.Still have questions? PM a mod for help.

[b]Skills:[/b] (If you are distributing into your skills put GP value in here, if not put N/A. Only include skills below you have upgraded this GP Claim.)[list][*][b]Fire Manipulation:[/b] (Adept) | (60 + 140 = 200GP)[/list]

So how do I get all this started?

Now that you know all this information, it's time to begin! The very first thing you'll want to do is create a thread for your character's stats and techs. Here is another place where following our instructions to the letter is extremely important. FIRST, create the thread in the appropriate sub-board under this one: (Stats + Techniques) titled LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME with your character's last name, then first. This is not rocket science, but you'd be surprised how many people manage to mess it up.SECOND, make three posts. These will be placeholders until you fill them in, the first containing your stats, second your techs, and third important threads that highlight the history of your character. THIRD, post the following code inside your first post, filling in values when appropriate. This post will keep constant track of your stats, skills, and other important information. Your very first time filling this out will be treated as a GP Claim and will be determine at what power level your character begins at.

So what do I do now?

Well, whether you are just filling this out now, plan to later, or are making a new GP Claim, your post will not be final until it is approved by a staff member. Anything that has not been approved is not real, and will be ignored in RP. To speed up the approval process, you may wish to (POLITELY) ask a staff member to work on it. Until then, though, you are free to RP. Stats and Techs are largely unnecessary outside of combat threads, so even as a beginning character (with an APPROVED application) you may enter non-battle threads. See [